Method and system for construction and communication of data on network access and service transactions in a telecommunication network

ABSTRACT

A method for construction and communication of data for charging and billing for network access and service transactions, which comprises the step of generating ( 100 ) a Charging Data Record (CDR) for each connection of a User Equipment (UE) a telecomunication network. Service providing servers accessed by the UE generate in two steps Event Detail Records (EDRs): first step ( 104 ) is tagging each event caused by a user of said UE, second step ( 106 ) is assigning transaction ID and transaction details to said tag. Further the CDR and the EDR are collated ( 108 ) with the tags to create a Session Detail Record (SDR). The SDR is sent ( 118 ) to a mediation and routing engine. The mediation and routing engine processes ( 120 ) the SDR to the required format. Then the SDR is forwarded ( 122 ) to a rating engine, which expands ( 124 ) said tags, calculates and adds charges ( 126 ). Then said SDR is forwarded ( 128 ) to a billing server for generating ( 130 ) a unified bill and finally the unified bill is sent ( 132 ) to the user of the UE.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to telecommunication systems, and inparticular to a method and a system for construction and communicationof data on network access and service transactions in atelecommunication network to provide charging and billing in saidtelecommunication network. The invention is applicable to, but notlimited to, wireless communication systems such us third generationpacket data and communication networks.

BACKGROUND

With the advent of the third generation mobile technology, the end-userwill be able to access various types of services over their mobilephones through the use of the multi-service IP network. Therefore theoptions for charging extend further than charging only for mobile accessto the network to charging for content as well. Examples of such contentto be charged could be services like e-mail or e-commerce transactionscarried out during a session.

However, an Internet Protocol (IP) network has a heterogeneousinfrastructure comprising of a wide range of technologies and vendors.The result of this situation is that each network element and serviceprovider are likely to capture the charging data independently, as theusage parameters for each kind of service are usually distinct from eachother. This leads to many disparate approaches to charging which isexpensive to manage, administer and deploy.

The systems presently available are proprietary billing systems whichhave no standard interfaces in place to exchange usage, provisioning andcontrol information, therefore there is no unified bill generated forthe end-user. Even the standards have enshrined the historical evolutionof separate systems for contract billing (Call and Event data) andprepaid charging (CAMEL).

Moreover these proprietary systems do not have a standard format ofCharging Data Record (CDR), which ultimately hinders the operation of IPnetwork elements and support systems to be able to communicatecost-effectively. Presently there are various CDRs generated within anetwork for each individual event caused by the user. Sometimes someevents are missed out because of lack of collation of CDR for theindividual user. In some cases there is no way to identify which useraccessed which service because in the end it is all data or packetswhich are going through the network. This creates a barrier to bringingnext generation services to the market.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is a need for a method and a system for construction andcommunication of data on network access and service transactions in atelecommunication network to provide charging and billing in saidtelecommunication network, which alleviate or overcome the disadvantagesof the prior art.

The method and the system according to the present invention makepossible to unite billing and charging into a common framework. Resultis one system presentation for end-user delivered by the thirdgeneration packet data networks for both the user equipment (i.e. wireand wireless communication devices, Portable Digital Assistants (PDA),laptop, desktop and palmtop computers) and the network.

A method for construction and communication of data on network accessand service transactions in a telecommunication network to providecharging and billing in said telecommunication network, said methodcomprising the following steps: (a) generating a Charging Data Record(CDR) for each connection of a User Equipment (UE) to saidtelecommunication network, (b) generating an Event Detail Record (EDR)in two substeps: (b1) tagging each event caused by a user of said UEduring said connection, (b2) assigning transaction ID and transactiondetails to said tag used for tagging said event in previous step,wherein said transaction details being retrieved from a networkequipment, (c) collating said CDR and EDR with said tags to obtain aSession Detail Record (SDR), (d) sending said SDR to a mediation androuting engine, (e) forwarding said SDR to a rating engine, (f)forwarding said SDR to a billing server for generating a unified bill,(g) sending said unified bill to said UE user.

The mediation and routing engine processes the SDR to meet the formatrequired by additional network management systems. The additionalnetwork management systems are: fraud management, data warehousing andsecurity systems.

The rating engine expands said tags with the transaction details, thencalculates and adds charges depending on type of said transaction.

When transaction requires credit authorization and authentication theSDR is sent to a monetary authorization server.

An advantage of the present invention is that it makes possible togather data on transmission independently on the service provider andnetwork element involved in the transmission.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the method is easy tomanage and deploy because it provides a standard interface forprovisioning and control information what results in unified billgenerated for the end user. Additionally one type of generated CDRwithin a telecommunication network makes it possible to increaseeffectivenes of network components.

Another advantage of the invention is that it allows identifying, whichuser accessed, which service before finally generating a reliable bill.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a system for carrying out the method according to the presentinvention as described above.

The system in accordance with the present invention has a network nodefor generating a Charging Data Record (CDR) for each connection of saidUE to said telecommunication network. Each network element is equippedwith a tagging function for tagging each event caused by the user ofsaid UE during said connection. The system also comprises a serviceproviding server for generating an Event Detail Record (EDR) and aCharging Gateway Functionality (CGF) for collating said CDRs and EDRswith said tags to generate a Session Detail Record (SDR). A mediationand a routing engine of the system is for processing of said SDR into aformat compatible with format acceptable by a rating engine which isdesigned for expanding said tags and calculating and adding charges. Thesystem also comprises a billing server for generating a unified bill,for said UE user.

The system according to the present invention may have rating, billingand monetary authorization servers aggregated into one or more separatedevices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully fromthe following detailed description taken in conjunction with thedrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method for charging and billing fornetwork access and service transactions in accordance with an embodimentof the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a system for charging and billingfor network access and service transactions in accordance with anembodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The term User Equipment (UE) herein below is a general term thatincludes wire and wireless communication devices, Portable DigitalAssistants (PDA), laptop, desktop and palmtop computers.

The term Event Detail Record (EDR) herein below is a general term usedto denote event characteristics, for any activity that can be monitoredand therefore is accountable.

Referring to FIG. 1, in step 100 for each connection of a User Equipmentto said telecommunication network a Charging Data Record (CDR) isgenerated. The CDR is generated by a network node. Independently serviceproviding servers accessed by the UE generate in step 102 Event DetailRecords (EDRs). Generation of said EDRs is performed in two substeps. Insubstep 104 each event caused by a user of said UE during saidconnection is tagged and in step 106 transaction ID and transactiondetails are assigned to said tag used for tagging said event in previoussubstep. Said transaction details being retrieved from a networkequipment. In step 108 the CDR and EDR are collated with the tags toform a single Session Detail Record (SDR). In the following step, 118,said SDR is sent to a mediation and routing engine. Said mediation androuting engine processes in step 120 said SDR into a format acceptableby a billing server, a rating engine and other network managementsystems. After processing 120 the mediation and routing engine deliversin step 122 said SDR to said network management systems and said ratingengine. The rating engine expands 124 said tags with said transactiondetails and calculates and adds in step 126 charges according to type ofsaid transaction. In the next step, 128, said SDR is forwarded 128 tosaid billing server for generating 130 a unified bill. In the finalstep, 132, said unified bill is delivered to said UE user.

Further aspects, variations and details of the invention are describedin the following.

When the transaction requires authentication and authorization 110, saidSDR is sent 112 to a monetary authorization server. Depending on resultof said authentication and authorization 114 the process is stopped ifauthentication or authorization failed. When authentication andauthorization passed, the SDR is sent to a mediation and routing enginein step 118.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2, which depicts a system for constructionand communication of data on network access and service transactions ina telecommunication network to provide charging and billing in saidtelecommunication network operative in accordance with the embodiment ofthe present invention as illustrated on FIG. 1.

The system according to present invention has a network node 200 forgenerating a CDR 202. CDR 202 is generated for each connection of a UE204 to said telecommunication network 206. Each network element isequipped with a tagging function for tagging each event caused by theuser of said UE 204 during said connection. The system also comprises aservice providing server 208 for generating an Event Detail Record (EDR)210.

Depending on type of service accessed by the user the service providingserver 208 may be a content server, e-commerce server or serverproviding other kind of services.

The system further comprising a Charging Gateway Functionality (CGF) 212for collating said CDRs 202 and EDRs 210 with said tags to generate aSession Detail Record (SDR) 214.

It is also important to note that a session in the SDR means usersession and all the services used by the user will be a subset of theuser session. This causes that the SDR is a single consolidated formgiving details of user activity for the entire duration of userconnection to the telecommunication network.

In alternative embodiments the CGF 212 can be incorporated with eitherthe network node 200 or mediation and routing engine or can be aseparate physical device on its own.

A mediation and a routing engine 216 of the system are for processing ofsaid SDR 214 into a format compatible with format acceptable by a ratingengine 218 which is designed for expanding said tags and calculating andadding charges. The system also comprises a billing server 220 forgenerating a unified bill, for said UE 204 user.

In different embodiments the network node for generating CDRs may be aGPRS Serving Node, a Mobile Switching Centre, a Switch or other networkelement.

In another embodiment the system comprises monetary authorizationserver, which is contacted when a transaction, which was done duringsaid connection requires credit authentication and authorization.

In yet another alternative embodiments the rating, billing and monetaryauthorization servers are aggregated in any combination as one, two orthree separate devices.

In another embodiment the mediation and routing engine 216 is connectedto additional network systems 222 such as fraud management system, datawarehousing system and security system.

In general the fraud management system is a peripheral system, whichanalysis the data in CDRs to identify the users who are attempting somefraud by not using the network properly. The data warehousing system issystem, which stores all the data for future reference to answercustomer complains or to make other subscription related changes.Security system maintains the security of passwords and other sensitivedata passing over the network.

It will be understood that the invention tends to provide the followingadvantages singly or in any combination:

-   -   possibility of gathering data on transmission independently on        the service provider and network element involved in the        transmission,    -   the method is easy to manage and deploy,    -   unified bill generated for the end user,    -   one type of generated CDR within a telecommunication network        makes it possible to increase effectivenes of network        components,    -   the method allows identifying which user accessed which service,        what results in generating a reliable bill.

1. A method for construction and communication of data on network accessand service transactions in a telecommunication network to providecharging and billing in said telecommunication network, said methodcomprising the following steps: (a) generating (100) a Charging DataRecord for each connection of a User Equipment to said telecommunicationnetwork, (b) generating (102) an Event Detail Record in two substeps:(b1) tagging (104) each event caused by a user of said UE during saidconnection, (b2) assigning (106) transaction ID and transaction detailsto said tag used for tagging said event in previous step, wherein saidtransaction details being retrieved from a network equipment, (c)collating (108) said Charging Data Record and Event Detail Record withsaid tags to obtain a Session Detail Record, (d) sending (118) saidSession Detail Record to a mediation and routing engine, (e) forwarding(122) said Session Detail Record to a rating engine, (f) forwarding(128) said Session Detail Record to a billing server for generating(130) a unified bill, (g) sending (132) said unified bill to said UserEquipment user.
 2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said mediationand routing engine processes (120) said Session Detail Record into aformat compatible with format acceptable by said rating engine, saidbilling server and additional network management systems and delivers(122) said Session Detail Record to said network management systems andsaid rating engine.
 3. A method according to claim 2 wherein saidadditional network management systems are fraud management system, datawarehousing system and security system.
 4. A method according to claim 1wherein said rating engine expands (124) said tags with said transactiondetails and calculates and adds (126) charges according to type of saidtransaction.
 5. A method according to claim 1 wherein SDR is sent (112)to a monetary authorization server when said transaction requires creditauthentication and authorization (116).
 6. A system for carrying out themethod according to claim 1, said system comprising the followingcomponents: a network node (200) for generating a Charging Detail Record(202), for each connection of User Equipment (204) to saidtelecommunication network (206), a tagging function at each networkelement and service providing servers for tagging each event caused bythe user of said User Equipment (204) during said connection, a serviceproviding server (208) for generating an Event Detail Record (210), aCharging Gateway Functionality (212) for collating said Charging DataRecord (202) and Event Detail Record (210) with said tags to generate aSession Detail Record (214) and for sending said Session Detail Record(214) to a mediation and routing engine (216), said mediation androuting engine (216) for processing of said Session Detail Record (214)into a format compatible with format acceptable by a rating engine(218), said rating engine (218) for expanding said tags and calculatingand adding charges, a billing server (220) for generating a unifiedbill, for said User Equipment (204) user.
 7. A system according to claim6 wherein said network node is a GPRS Serving Node, a Mobile SwitchingCentre, a Switch or other network element.
 8. A system according toclaim 6 wherein said system further comprising monetary authorizationserver.
 9. A system according to claim 8 wherein said rating, billingand monetary authorization servers are aggregated into one or moreseparate devices.